Gas-engine.



No. 885,921. j PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. 0. GRISWOLD & s. G. AVERBLL.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 21, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'mkvm w 4 I 9 wmv ssEs Q5) /Nvf/vroea am. z: w Br ATmPA/Lr PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. G. GRISWOLD & S. G. AVERELL.

GAS ENGINE. APPLIQATIQiI IILED DBO. 21. 1906.

4 sums-sum z.

WI/TNES 355 //v VEN T0 Rf ATTO ENE Y No. 885,921. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. G. GRISWOLD & S. G. AVERELL.

GAS ENGINE.

I APPLIOATIONTILED 1150.21, 1906.

4 sums-sum a.

k v a 5 e Fig.9.

No. 885,921. I PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

' U. GRISWOLD & S. G. AVERBLL.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.21. 190 6.

4 BHEET88HBET 4.

m 7 "WE/W089 mama-ad... W v

#ZT/VESSES: M v;

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

CHESTER GRISWOLD AND S YLVE.STER G. AVERELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Application filed December 21, 1906. Serial No. 48,863. I

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that we, CHESTER GRiswoLn provement in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to gas engines of the type in which working strokes of the piston alternate with gas suction strokes, and more particularly to those in which air for-purging the cylinder free ofjcombustion products is compressed by the working piston.

The invention consists in the construction of the engine whereby the purging is caused to take place during 'a rearward stroke of 1316' piston and preferably at or about the mid of said stroke; whereby an auxiliary exhaust is provided to reduce heating in the cylinder, increase effective exhaust area and achieve other advantages hereinafter set forth; whereby, in the air compression chamber, an auxiliary air inlet is provided; whereby, in a multiple engine, the cylinder of each engine of apair is purged by air compressed by the other engine and whereby in a multiple engine, such as herein specifically illustrated, each engine cylinder is purged by air compressed in two independent chambers by two of the associated engines.

In the accompanying drawings-Fig-ure 1 is a front elevation ofa four cylinder four-cycle engine embodying our invention, certainparts being shown broken away. and in-sectionr' Fig. 2 is a rear elevation showing more particularly the air purge connections. 3

is a detail section showing the mode of connecting the ball bearing block 8to the base E.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the engine. Fig.5 is a vertical transverse section on the line m a; of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 4. Fi 7 is a horizontal section on the line y y of ig. 6. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line .2 2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the operations of the valves for a complete cycle.

Similar numbers and letters of reference indicate like parts. i

The engine isof the four cycle type and has four vertical cylinders A, B, C, D,'secured in any suitable way upon the hollow base E.

Saidbase is divided horizontally in two parts,

end is a head 4 similarly bolted in place and carrying a gear case 5, in which are located the gears hereafter to be described. Through the baseE passes,the engine crank shaft F. Near each end of the shaft F is a ball bearing of known construction, comprisin an inner rim rigidly secured on said shaft etween a collar and a nut, an outer rim 6 and intermediate'balls 7. The outer rim is held in a supporting block 8, which is secured to the upper wall of the base E by bolts 9, Fig. 3, said bolts passing through said wall. and being secured by nuts 10 to the cross supplo rting bars 11. The shaft F also passes t ough stufiing boxes in the heads.

The base E is divided into four chambers G, H, I, J, which respectively receive the cranks on shaft F.. Between the chambers are bearin s for shaft F provided with horizontally-dlvided bushings 12, so that there is no communication between the crank chambers, except as'hereinafter explained. The cranks belonging to cylinders B, C, are set 180 from the cranks belonging to cylindersA,D. I

The cross bars 11 may rest upon the longitudinal members 13 of a supporting frame, such'as the frame of an automobile, and, in this wa the entire machine is supported. It resu ts from this construction that, the lower part of the base E can be removed to permit of cleansin or for any other desired purpose, without isturbing the rest of the machine.

In each cylinder A, B, C, D, is a piston K, each piston being connected by itsrod L, to one of the cranks on shaft F. The piston rod L is connected to. its piston by the usual wrist pin 14 into which enters a cotter pin 15 to' revent longitudinal motion thereo n the u er end of each cylinder is acupshaped hea in which are arranged three upp et valves; 16, Fig. 5; 17, Fig. '6: an 18, ig. 8; all opening inwardly and disposed in housings preferably cast integral wlth said head. The valves 16 admit urging air to the several cylinders. The va ves 17 are the main exhaust valves. The valves 18 are the gas intake valves. Each valve stem 19 extends upwardl through the. valve housing and is rovide with a spring 20, which normally eeps the valve closed.

\ On the side of each cylinder is secured a cylindrical casing .21 containing a puppet valve 22 (which is an auxiliary exhaust valve) and communicating with the cylinder spring 25 which normally holds the valve own u on its seat.

In or er to operate the several valves there is provided a shaft N journaled in suitable bearings in a chamber 0, the lower part 26 of which 1s preferably cast integral with the upper part 1 of base E (Fig 5) and which does not communicate with the chambers G, H, I, J, in said base. The u per part 27 of said chamber is'secured to't e lower part by T bolts28, engagin with lugs and set up by nuts as shown. 6n said shaft N are cams P upon which bear the enlarged lower ends of rods 29, which rods extend upwardly into guides 30, and terminate therein. (Fig. 1).

The stems 24 of valves 22 bear on the upper ends of certain of said rods 29, so that by the rotation of shaft and the action of the cams P, said valves are operated. Valves 16, 17 and 18' arein like manner operated from cams P through other rods 29, similarly arranged and bearing on said cams, and rods 31 which bear on the u er ends of said rods 29. The said rods 31 ig. 5) at their upper extremities are c0nnected\to the-short arms of pivoted levers 32, the long arms of which extend over and act upon the upwardly projecting valve stems19. As the amount of o ening of the valves is small,a loose joint at t e points of connection between each rod 31 and its associated lever 32 will give sufficient pla to the parts.

v (in the shaft F is a toothed gear 33 and on the shaft N is a toothed gear 34 engagin with gear 33. Shaft N is, therefore, rotated by shaft F, and the relation of the gears is such that said shaft N makes one revolution to two revolutions of shaft F. As already described through the cams P vertical movement is imparted to rods 29 and so to the valve rods. 1 The gas, airand exhaust conduits are disposed as follows: Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, the explosive mixture from the source of supply proceeds by the pipe 35 and its branches, to theseveral gas'valves 18. Purging air which is compressed by the descent o pistons K in the severalchambers G, H, I, J, reaches the cylinders as follows: With respect to cylinders C and. D, (see Fig.

2), its course is from chamber I by conduit 36 a to air valve 16 of cylinder D. From .chamber J by conduit 37'-whichover a part of its length may inclose conduit 36, to air valve. 16 of c linder C.- The conduits 36 and 37 may, w ere one incloses theother, be formed in a single casting as shown at Q. With respect to cylinders A and B; the course of t e purging is from chamber H b conduit 38 to air valve 16 of cylinder A. ber G by conduit 39 which over a part of its len th incloses conduit 38, to airvalve 16 of cyhnder B.

rom cham The air passages of the cylinders A, B, C, D, are also interconnected in the following manner: Conduit 37 is connected by pipe 40 to conduit 39. Conduit 36 is connected by pipe 41 to conduit 38. In pipes 40 and 41 are air check valves 42, 43, which open inwardly to permit atmospheric air to enter said pipes.

The chambers of the several main exhaust valves 17 areall connected to the header pipe 44, which leads the exhaust toatmosphere, or as desired. The mode of connection is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. A T-bolt 45 enters the valve chamber and engages with lugs 46 therein. the header wall and is'set up by a nut on the outside.

The chambers 21 of the auxiliary exhaust valves'22 are all connected to the header pipe 47 which leads to atmosphere or as'desired. The s ark plugs (48, Fig.1) in the several c lin ers are dis osed in the upper parts t ereof and may fie timed so that ignition is Eroduced in said cylinders in the order A, C, D. The cranks are set so that the pistons in cylinders C, B, ascend and descend together, andthe pistons in cylinders A, D, ascend and descend together.

The complete cycle for each engine of the four connected to shaftF is shown in the diagram Fig. 9, which illustrates the o )erations of the valves for two complete revoiutions of the crank of said engine. the circle X on the left of Fig. 9. The piston is at the end of its upward stroke and is beginning to descend and thus to take in gas.

When the crank has moved in the direction of the arrow slightly beyond its center, say 5 degrees, the air valve 16 closes. This is indicated by the black line a. After the crank has moved, say 15 degrees, the main exhaust valve 17 .closes and the intake inlet 18 o ens at the same time. This is indicated by t e thin full line 0 andthe dot and dash line I), placed close to ether. The iston completes its downwar stroke and egins to rise When the crank haspassed about 30 degrees over the center the intake valve 18 closes. This is indicated by the thin full line d. The piston continues to rise conipressing the explosive mixture, completes its upward stroke and begins its down stroke. Continueon circle Y As the crank about passes its center the igniter acts and explosion occurs. This is indicate by the point e. The piston now descends on its working stroke until just before it uncovers the auxiliary exhaust port 23, the crank having assed over about 125 degrees. The auxlliaryexhaust valve 22 opens. This is indicated by dash line f. The piston completes the crank degrees, the main exhaust valve 17 0 mm.

This is indicated by the dot and dash line 9.

Its shank passes through Referring first to When the risin crank has passed over about 55 degrees an the piston has covered the auxiliary exhaust port 23, the auxiliary ex haust valve closes. This is indicated by the dash line h. The piston continues to rise, and when the crank has reached a oint about lOodegrees from its lowest-pos1tion, the air valve 16 opens. This isindicated by the line i. The piston then completes its upward stroke and the cycle ends.

Particular attentlon is called to the following facts: Referring to Fig. 2, and considering only cylinders C and D, and assumspect to one another.

machine here shown, the two airs of cylii1.

ing for the moment, that the connecting pipes 40 and 41 were closed, the descent of the piston in cylinder C would obviously compress air in chamberI and in the conduit '36, and that air would be retained in that chamber and conduit as long as the valve 16 on cylinder D remained shut. Similarly, the descentof the piston in cylinder D would compress air in chamber-J- and in conduit 37, and that pressure would remain .stored so long as the 'valve 16 remained' shut; but the airv valves 16 are opened once in each cycle, or, in other words, not on every strokebut on every alternate stroke of the pistons. The result, therefore, is that the piston in cylinder compresses air in chamber I, which air is stored, and is finally delivered for purging purposes into cylinder D: and in like manner the iston in cylinder D com resses air in cham er J,'which is stored, an afterwards delivered for purging pur oses into cylinder 0; In

other words, eac engine of the two under consideration, compresses and supplies purging air, not for its own cylinder, but for the cylinder of the other engine of the pair, and t at is equally true of the second air of en-- gines having the cylinders A and But in the whole ders, AB in onepair and C, 'inthe other are connected in the manner described, by the pipes 40, 41. The consequence is, that asthepistons, in cylinders B and C go down; they both act to compress air in thei'r'own chambers H and I, which are res ectively connected to the air valves of cy nders A and D. Now if bothof these air valves on cylinders A and D opened at the. same time, it is obvious,'that the total amount of air compressed would be divided between the two cylinders'; but these two air valves do not open at the same time, but alternately;

the consequence is, that all of the air compressed in the chambers H and I is turned either into the cylinder D or the cylinder A,

as the case may be. Hence, on every forward stroke of the istons in C andB the air compressed is util zed either, as stated, in the .cylinder A or the cylinder D, and the actual amount of purging airwhich goes into either cylinder A or cylinder is obviously with re' twice the amount which would be driven into it by the action of its companion cylinder 0 The net result, therefore, I Y

or B'acting alone. is this: Not one engine out of the four combined in this machinestores and com resses airfor itself only; two engines out of t e four are always compressingand storing air for one of the other two engines. By reason of the first fact we avoid all the difficulties and disadvantages incident to those forms of gas engines which com ress their own purging air. By reason of t e second fact, we supply twice the normal amount of purging air in a given time to each engine, thus effecting a far molre efiicient purge than is otherwise possib e..

Y The. purging air is normally drawn in I through the check valves 42 and 43, in pipes '40 and- 41. H, for any cause, during the rise of the fpistons the pressure beneath them should all below that of the atmosphere, we

relieve this condition by providing in the walls of the cylinders, ports 46, opening directly into the outer air, and these orts, as Fig. 2 shows, are uncovered just as t e p ston reaches the end of its rearward stroke, thus admitting an additional free supply of air from the outside, and insuring that the air is afterwards compressed from atmospheric pressure on the subsequent descent of the insures better self cleansing of the cylinder,

reduces the heating of the main exhaust reason of its special' constr'uction tends to be opened by the outflow of burned gas and to be closed by the suction so that weakening of the s ring is immaterial.

1. The combination of two gas ine cylinders and, associated with each 0 inder, a

valve and so increases its lifetime, and by piston and a compressed air cham er in the cylinder base receiving said piston, a crank s aft common to both plstons passing through said compressed air chambers and} having its crank in one chamber set 180 dis-g taut from the crank in the other chamber, an air inlet valve in each cylinder head, ducts connectingv the said air chamber associated with each cylinder with the air inlet valve of the other cylinder and meansactuated by said crank shaft for operating said air inlet valves.

tently admitted to one ofthe cylinders associated with the remainin chambers to Y purge combustion products t erefrom.

3. The combination of four gas en ine cylinders and, associated with each cy inder, a piston and a compressed air chamber in the cylinder base receiving said piston, a crank shaft common to all of said pistons passing through said air chambers and having two cranks in two chambers set alike. and at 180 distance from the remainin cranks respectively in the other two cham ers, an air inlet valve in each cylinder head, ducts connecting the air chamber associated with each cylinder with the air inlet valves of two of the other cylinders, and means actuated by said crank shaft for operating said valves.

4. The combination with four gas engine cylinders, a piston in each, independent air chambers in the crank cases of said cylinders, a crank shaft common to said istons passing through said chambers, and piston rods extending from the pistons to the cranks, of means for causing simultaneous compression intwo crank cases and means for transferring '{the entire charge thus compressed to a third c linder for purging.

5. T e combination of four engine 0 linders, a piston in each, iston rods, in cpendent air chambers in t e crank cases of said cylinders, a crank shaft to which the piston rods are connected, the aforesaid parts eing constructed and operatin to compress air simultaneously in two cran; cases, and means for transferring the entire charge thus compressed to a third cylinder for purgim the said parts being also constructed and operating to subsequently compress air in two more crank cases and then discharging the air thus compressed into another cylinder for purging.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in resence of two witnesses.

C ESTER GRISWOLD. SYLVESTER G. AVERELL. Witnesses:

E. C! GREY, H. M. LLoYn. 

